WINGATE – Wingate shot better than 52 percent from the field, including a deadly 50 percent accuracy from the perimeter, and held visiting UNCP to just a 33 percent success rate en route to a 71-45 win over the Braves on Tuesday evening in Cuddy Arena.

The setback extended UNCP's (1-3) losing streak out to three games, while the Bulldogs (2-2) grabbed victory for the second time in three games en route to climbing back to .500 for the second time this season. The contest snapped a three-game winning streak by the road team in the series.

George Blakeney scored a season-best 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead the Braves, who also got 11 points and a trio of assists from redshirt freshman Quamain Rose. Preseason All-Peach Belt Conference selection Shahmel Brackett sat out the contest with an injury.

The Bulldogs got double-digit scoring from three different players, including Odell Turner who registered 16 points, 14 rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes of action. Paidrick Matilus drained three of Wingate's nine 3-pointers on the night en route to 15 points, while Eddie Lewis scored 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from downtown as well.

The squads combined for 41 turnovers, including 21 from the hosts. The Bulldogs posted a 35-29 edge in the rebounding column, while also turning in 15 steals and 13 assists. UNCP finished the game with just seven percent (1-for-14) shooting from beyond the arc.

Wingate opened the second half with a 14-2 run to grab a 19-point lead, 46-27, with 15:12 to play, but the Braves utilized a combination of free throws and short jumpers to cut their deficit back to 10 points just five minutes later. The Bulldogs, however, would surge again, this time scoring 22 of the game's next 28 points to grab their largest lead of the game, 70-45, with 86 ticks remaining.

UNCP scored four of the game's first five points to open up an early lead, but a jumper by Tracy Gathings six minutes into the game sparked the Bulldogs on a 13-3 run over a nearly six-minute span that gave the hosts a 16-9 advantage with 6-1/2 minutes to play. The Braves climbed to within three points, 22-19, on a K.J. Cooper jumper at the 3:47 mark, but Wingate closed out the half with a 10-4 scoring spurt to lug a 32-23 lead into the intermission.

The Braves will continue a season-opening six-game stretch away from home this weekend when they head to Florence, S.C., to take part in the four-team Zaxby's Tip Off Clazzic inside Francis Marion's Smith University Center. The Black & Gold will open up the tournament with a 1 p.m. contest against Coker (1-1) on Saturday and will wrap up their portion of tournament play on Sunday against St. Andrews (0-5). That contest is set for 1 p.m. as well.